US2640712A - Collapsible infant carrier - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1953 L s 2,640,712

COLLAPSIBLE INFANT CARRIER Filed July 8, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

ADEUNE E. LASH BY ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,640,712 COLLAPSIBLE INFANT CARRIER Adeline IE. Lash, Cleveland, ohm Application July 8, 1949, Serial No. 103,620

Claims. (Cl. 280-41) The present invention relates generally to Wheeled carrier devices, and more particularly to a form of infant carrier which can be folded or collapsed for storage.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a baby carrier which is so designed as to be sturdy and well-suited for its intended purpose, yet one which can be easily and quickly folded into a compactQeasily-carried, unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a carrier of the character described which can be folded or unfolded without the use of tools or special skill.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a foldable carrier which may be wheeled along the pavement, if desired, in its folded or collapsed condition.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a carrier of the character described in which the handle or grip, which is normally utilized for pushing the carrier, is also utilized for holding or carrying the carrier in its folded position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a baby carrier having improved means for locking the parts thereof together inboth the operative and folded conditions thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a collapsible carrier embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the baby carrier shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view in a folded or collapsed condition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of the locking means for securing the handle to the carrier frame, taken as indicated by line 6-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on lines 66 of Fig. 3, showing the manner of securing the handle to the frame when the carrier is folded, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 'l'l of Fig. 2, showing details of the pivotal mountingof the link bar.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the carrier includes a rectangular frame 1 formed of the carrier of metal, which may be in the form of flat stock as illustrated, or may be tubing or rod or the like. On the frame I is secured a carrier body 2 formed of cloth or the like and having a series of hemmed edges 3 formed by stitching 4 which form a sleeve through which the frame passes.

The edge-of the carrier is cut out to form openings 5 at spaced points, these openings serving to increase ventilation of the carrier and also serving to expose the frame I so as to permit access to the locking means which will be more fully described hereinafter. The carrier body 2 is thus suspended from the frame I and supported thereby to form a hammock-like structure in which an infant may lie. In the bottom of the carrier body 2, transversely spaced leg openings 6 are provided so thatwhen the child is in sitting position, it can have its legs extending through the openings 6. If the child is just learning to walk, it may use the carrier as a support while walking with its legs extending through openings 6;

At one end of the carrier body 2, a piece of cloth 7 is sewn' to the body 2 to form a pocket which can be utilized for carrying infant's needs such as diapers, bottles, etc. The pocket may be open, as illustrated, or it may be provided'with a flap and fastening means in a manner well known in the art.

The frame I is supported above ground level by two legs 8 and a long handle member 9 which are formed of metallic flat stock. One leg 8 is disposed at each front corner of the frame and is pivotally'secured as at ill to an ear II which depends from the frame I and is welded thereto.

'It will be noted that through the utilization of the ear 1 l, the pivot point H1 is so located that when the'leg 8 isrotated ninety degrees, [as seen in Fig. 3, to a position parallel to the frame I, it lies adjacent the edge of the frame rather than overlying the frame. As will hereinafter more fully appear, this offset relationship of the pivot point Ill to the frame l aids in preventing interference between the frame and the movable components during the folding operation.

At the end of such leg 8 is mounted a caster wheel i2 which journals in a sleeve l3 which is secured to the leg 8 as by welding.

The legs 8 are joined by a cross-bar [4 which extends between the legs horizontally and is Welded to each of them.

Approximately at the mid-point of thecrossbar it a lug or ear I5 is Welded so that it depends vertically from the cross-bar. To the ear I5. is pivotally secured, asby rivet H6, one end of a link bar H, the other end of which is pivotally secured, as by rivet [8, to an ear is which is welded to a lower or offset portion 2a of the handle 9.

The handle 9 has mounted on the lower extremity thereof, a wheel assembly 2!, which, in combination with the wheels l2 on the legs 8, permit the carrier to be moved easily over the ground, the caster wheels l2 permitting changes in direction in the well known manner.

At a point approximately midway between the ends of the handle, are mounted two transversely spaced buttons 22 having large heads 23 surmounting shanks 24. The buttons are adapted to fit into keyhole slots 25 which are formed in that portion of the frame I which lies adjacent the handle 9.

The slots 25 comprise a large central opening 28, whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the heads 23, and slots 21 which extend diametrically in a longitudinal direction from the opening 26, the width of the slots being less than the diameter of the heads 23, but slightly greater than the diameter of the shanks 24 of the but tons 22.

In the operative position of the carrier (as in Figs. 1 and 2), the handle '9 is locked to the frame l by means of the aforementioned buttons 22 and slots 25, the buttons being inserted into the large central opening 26, and the frame I then being moved downwardly relatively to the handle 9 so as to cause the buttons to enter the narrow slots 21 in which position the heads 23 of the buttons overlie the frame I.

The handle when thus secured, is held against any pivotal movement relatively to the frame about a horizontal axis and for all practical operative purposes is longitudinally immovable. The weight of the carrier frame plus the weight of the contents of the carrier body are sufficient to keep the frame in the relative position shown in Fig. 4. Even if the carrier were lifted bodily by the frame. the buttons would slip past central opening 26 and come to rest in the oppositely disposed narrow slot 21 thereby maintaining the handle secured to the frame. Deliberate manipulation of the handle is required to release it from the frame.

On the upper extremity of the handle 9 is secured a hand support 28 which facilitates pushing and handling of the carrier.

As described thus far, it will be apparent that the carrier is sturdily constructed, easilymaneuverable, and well adapted for the purpose of conveniently transporting an infant or small child.

Referring now more specifically to Figs. 3 and 6, I have so designed and constructed the carrier thatit may be folded or collapsed into a compact unit which can readily be carried about or stored when-it is not being used.

To fold the carrier, the handle Q is released from its locked engagement with the frame l, by raising the frame until the heads 23 of the buttons 22 are aligned with the: central openings 26 of the keyhole slots 25. The handle is then pivoted or moved to the left as viewed in Fig. which causes the buttons 22 to disengage entirely from the frame i.

The portion of the frame which carries the legs 8, is then raised or rotated toward the handle 9 (counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2), causing thelegs 3 and link bar I! to assume positions longitudinally parallel to that of the frame l.

The oifset portion 20 of the handle permits the legs a and link bar I! to be in spaced alignment with each other, and in combination with the offset pivotal mounting provided by the ear H, aforementioned, permits the link bar H to move to its full vertical position without interference by the frame I.

A lug or car 29 is welded to the frame I and a complementary ear 3!) is welded to the handle 9, the ears 29 and 30 being provided with openings which when aligned as ,in Fig. '6, permit a locking pin 35 to be passed therethrough. The pin 31 may be permanently secured to the frame 1 by suitable means 32 such as a wire or chain, so that it will not get lost or misplaced.

The pin 3! serves to lock the handle 9 to the frame 1 when the carrier is in its folded condition and holds the parts relatively immovable. The weight of the carrier is sufficient to hold the pin 3| frictionally in position and prevent the parts from being released.

In the folded condition, the carrier may be wheeled along the pavement on wheel assembly 2i or it may be easily carried by means of the hand support 28. Obviously it may be conveniently stored in the luggage compartment of an automobile, or on the rack of a bus or train, and will occupy very little space.

Although, the carrier has been described as being primarily adapted for carrying infants or small children, it will be apparent that it may be used with equal facility for carrying other manher of things such as packages, etc.

It is to be noted that although I have described the buttons as being located on the handle 9, and the slots 25 as being located on the frame 1, these locations could be reversed, if desired, that is, the buttons could be on the frame and the slots could be formed in the handle.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Havin thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a carrier of the character described, the combination of a normally horizontally disposed frame, a wheeled frame supporting member pivotally secured to said frame, a wheeled frame supporting element, means for detachably securing said element immovably to said frame, and a link pivotally connecting said element and said member, whereby said member and said frame are movabl into parallelism with said element upon detachment of said element from said frame, the vertical distance from said horizontal 1y disposed frame to the pivotal connection between said link and said element being substantially greater than the vertical distance from said frame to the pivotal connection between said link and said member.

2. In a carrier of the character described, the combination of a frame disposed in a horizontal plane, legs pivotally secured to and supporting said frame at two horizontally spaced points thereof, a third leg supporting said frame, means for detachably securing said third leg immorably to said frame, and a link pivotally connecting said third leg to said first-named legs, the vertical distance from said frame to the pivotal connection between said link and said third leg being substantially greater than the vertical distance from said frame to the pivotal connection between said link and said first-named legs.

3. A wheel carrier comprising a rectangular frame disposed in a horizontal plane, a carrier body mounted on said frame, wheel-carrying legs pivotally secured to and supporting said frame at two adjacent corners thereof, a third wheelcarrying leg supporting said frame, means detachably securing said third leg immovably to said frame, and a link bar pivotally connecting said third leg to said first-named legs whereby said legs and said frame are movable into parallelism upon detachment of said third leg from said frame, the vertical distance from said frame to the pivotal connection between said link bar and said third leg being substantially greater than the vertical distance from said frame to the pivotal connection between said link bar and said first-named legs.

4. A wheel carrier as defined in claim 3, in-\ cluding securing means provided on said frame for releasably locking said frame to said third leg when said frame and said legs are in parallel- 20 ism.

5. A Wheel carrier as defined in claim 3 wherein said means comprise a button-and-slot connection between said third leg and said frame.

ADELINE E. LASH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 105,505 Stagg July 19, 1870 134,226 Stagg Dec. 24, 1872 488,095 Scott et al Dec. 13, 1892 658,123 Rosenthal Sept. 18, 1900 2,264,121 Pattiani Nov. 25, 1941 2,470,040 Mackin et a1. May 10, 1949 2,471,004 Moster May 24, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 663,945 France Apr. 16, 1929

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